Golden Boy Promotions on Friday announced that the junior middleweight fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and fellow Mexican Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo this past Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas did over 350,000 buys on Showtime pay-per-view.

Alvarez stopped Angulo in the 10th round. The fight will be replayed Saturday as part of the Showtime telecast featuring Danny Garcia of Philadelphia defending his two junior welterweight belts against Mauricio Herrera of Riverside from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

“The fans have spoken,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “‘Canelo’ is without a doubt the brightest young star in the sport today. He’s been a huge star in Mexico for quite some time. Now there is no denying that he is a star in the United States as well. We’re already in discussions with ‘Canelo’ to find the next opportunity to bring another exciting event to boxing fans worldwide.”

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday rebounded from his first career loss by stopping fellow Mexican Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the 10th round of their junior middleweight main event at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The Golden Boy Promotions card was televised on Showtime pay-per-view.

Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) was ahead by scores of 89-82, 89-82, 88-83 at the time of the stoppage, which came at 47 seconds into the round when Alvarez came out strongly following what was a good ninth round for him.

This was Alvarez’s first fight since he lost a decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. this past September at MGM Grand.

It’s official, Carlos Molina of Chicago via Mexico won’t be able to defend his junior middleweight title against Jermall Charlo on tonight’s undercard in Las Vegas because he remains on jail after having been arrested Tuesday on out-of-state warrants issued from the state of Wisconsin. Molina also has immigration issues, according to several reports out of Las Vegas.

That fight was scratched and now the 10-round lightweight fight between Ricardo Alvarez and Sergio Thompson will be elevated to the Showtime pay–per-view portion of the show at MGM Grand.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – both of Mexico – will tangle in the junior middleweight main event. The limit for junior middleweight is 154. But before the weigh-in Friday, Alvarez apparently let it be known he wouldn’t be able to make the weight. But it is not a title fight and the Angulo camp agreed to a limit of 155, according to a story on BoxingScene.com.

In that story, it was noted that Alvarez may have had to give Angulo $100,000 of his purse for the fight to go on at the higher weight. Alvarez then weighed in at 155, Angulo 154 1/2. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, could not confirm that Alvarez had to fork over the extra dough.

There is a lot of boxing pride in Mexico, so when two of its best and most ferocious fighters square off, there is no denying how big of a fight it is to the combatants and their country.

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo knows the score.

“Every fight is important, but this one is more special because of all the fans in Mexico will know that the winner of this fight is the No. 1 Mexican fighter,” Angulo, who will take on Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday in the junior middleweight main event at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view), said at Tuesday’s arrival at MGM Grand. “It’s a huge fight for Mexico and it’s a huge fight for ‘Canelo’ and me.”

Angulo, of Mexicali, Baja California, is 22-3 with 18 knockouts. Alvarez, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, is 42-1-1 with 30 knockous.

Even though Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico is just 23, he has been a pro since 2005 after turning pro at the of 15 in Jalisco, Mexico. During all that time, the only blemish on his record was a draw when he entered the ring this past Sept. 14 to take on Floyd Mayweather Jr. at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Like most who challenge Mayweather, they realize once they are in the fray that Mayweather is even better defensively than thought. Mayweather schooled Alvarez and won a majority decision that was only such a decision because since-disgraced judge C.J. Ross scored it a draw.

Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) on March 8 will get back in the ring for the first time since that first loss when he tangles with fellow Mexican Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the junior middleweight main event at MGM Grand (on Showtime pay-per-view).

Alvarez was asked how he got past the loss to Mayweather during a conference call this week.

“I have a lot of family. I have a lot of support, friends, and my team, and I’m very strong-minded,” Alvarez said. “I’m very strong-minded. So yes it was a loss, but I learned a lot from it, and I just move on. I just – I gained experience and move on. But again, I’m strong-minded. I don’t dwell on the past. Now I look forward to the future.”

The future is now, as this fight with Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) could be an absolute ring war.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez really thought he was going to be the one to hand Floyd Mayweather Jr. his first loss. Instead, Mayweather gave Alvarez his first setback this past September at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Alvarez, along with fellow Mexican Alfredo Angulo, on Tuesday first played host to a conference call, then to a news conference in Los Angeles formally announcing their fight for March 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view).

One reporter asked Alvarez how difficult it was to overcome his initial defeat. To his credit, the 23-year-old was very candid about it.

“It was hard, and it hurt my honor,” said Alvarez, who lost his junior middleweight title to Mayweather. “It’s very tough. Nobody ever wants to lose.”

But you know what they say, it’s not whether one loses, it’s how one responds to it. From the sound of it, Alvarez is responding well.

“But I don’t see it as a loss, I see it as a learning experience,” he said, “and I’m going to take the best out of it.”

Alvarez is 42-1-1 with 30 knockouts. Angulo, 31, is 22-3 with 18 knockouts.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico and countryman Alfredo “Perro” Angulo recently signed to fight each other March 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view).

Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) is coming off his first setback, a majority-decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September, and it sounds like he’s really aching to lace up the gloves again.

“This is a great fight for me and for the fans and I can’t wait to get back in the ring on March 8,” said Alvarez, a former junior middleweight champion who lost his title to Mayweather. “Angulo is a true warrior and I have to be alert every second of every round when I fight him. I expect that we will put on a fight no one will ever forget.”

Angulo, 22-3 with 18 knockouts, is never in a dull fight.

“‘Canelo’ is a great young fighter who has earned his way to the top,” Angulo said. “That being said, I know I’m hungrier than he is right now and I will take him to places he’s never been. Our fans in Mexico and around the world will see what we’re all about when we fight.”

A total of four fights will make up the pay-per-view portion of this Golden Boy Promotions card. The other big one will see Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) of Lincoln Heights defending his super bantamweight belt against Cristian Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KOs) of Mexico.

Golden Boy Promotions has told BoxingScene.com, ESPN.com and other publications that a deal has been reach for former junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico to take on countryman Alfredo Angulo on March 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view).

This fight figures to be hard-hitting and likely won’t go the distance. Angulo, 31, is 22-3 with 18 knockouts. He most recently was stopped in the 10th round of a close fight by Erislandy Lara in June at Home Depot Center; Angulo decked Lara twice.

Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) is just 23. He lost a majority decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his most recent fight in September at MGM Grand.,

Categories

Comments policy

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@langnews.com.